U.S. patent number 10,780,363 [Application Number 15/128,867] was granted by the patent office on 2020-09-22 for kite line reeling device.
The grantee listed for this patent is Johannes Petrus Van der Westhuizen. Invention is credited to Johannes Petrus Van der Westhuizen.
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United States Patent |
10,780,363 |
Van der Westhuizen |
September 22, 2020 |
Kite line reeling device
Abstract
This invention concerns a line reeling device for reeling front
and back lines of a kite. The device includes a reeling mechanism
comprising a first reel and a second reel which are located in an
enclosure and on which the front and back lines are, in use, wound
respectively. The reels are arranged so that their rotation in one
direction retracts the lines and their rotation in the other
direction deploys the lines. The reeling mechanism further includes
reel connecting means which is operable to cause the reels to
rotate in harmony in one configuration and rotate independently in
another configuration. The reeling mechanism also has a braking
mechanism for controlling rotation of the reels and a control
mechanism which is in connection with the braking mechanism. The
control mechanism is operable between a first, locked position
wherein rotation of the reels is obstructed and a second, released
position wherein rotation of the reels is allowed.
Inventors: |
Van der Westhuizen; Johannes
Petrus (Calgary, CA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Van der Westhuizen; Johannes Petrus |
Calgary |
N/A |
CA |
|
|
Family
ID: |
1000005067455 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/128,867 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2015 |
PCT
Filed: |
March 25, 2015 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/IB2015/052181 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
September 23, 2016 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2015/145363 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
October 01, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170106306 A1 |
Apr 20, 2017 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2014 [ZA] |
|
|
2014/02191 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
75/4452 (20130101); B65H 75/4428 (20130101); B65H
75/406 (20130101); B63H 8/16 (20200201); A63H
27/082 (20130101); B65H 2701/356 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63H
8/16 (20200101); B65H 75/40 (20060101); A63H
27/08 (20200101); B65H 75/44 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Jul. 9, 2015--(WO) International Search Report and Written
Opinion--APP PCT/IB2015/052181. cited by applicant .
Feb. 26, 2016--(WO) IPRP--APP PCT/IB2015/052181. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: O'Hara; Brian M
Assistant Examiner: Dixon; Keith L
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Baner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A line reeling device for reeling front lines of a kite, in use,
connected to a leading edge portion of the kite and back lines of
the kite, in use, connected to a trailing edge portion of the kite,
the device including: a reeling mechanism comprising: a first reel
on which the front lines are, in use, wound and being arranged so
that rotation of the first reel in one direction retracts the front
lines and rotation of the first reel in the other direction deploys
the front lines; a second reel on which the back lines are, in use,
wound and being arranged so that rotation of the second reel in one
direction retracts the back lines and rotation of the second reel
in the other direction deploys the back lines; and the first and
second reels being located in an enclosure; a reel connecting means
which is operable to cause the first and second reels to rotate in
harmony in one configuration to keep the angle of attack of the
kite constant to allow for accurate control over the kite and
rotate independently in another configuration to allow for a change
in the angle of attack of the kite in order to power and depower
the kite; a braking mechanism for controlling rotation of the
reels; and a control mechanism which is operable between a first,
locked position and a second, released position; wherein movement
of the control mechanism between its locked and released positions
controls the reel connecting means between its different
configurations and controls the breaking mechanism to adjust the
braking force.
2. A line reeling device according to claim 1, wherein the reeling
mechanism includes a movable cam slider and a cam follower which
runs on the cam slider and is moveable substantially
perpendicularly to the cam slider in response to movement of the
cam slider, and wherein the cam slider is connected to the control
mechanism such that it is moveable through manipulation of the
control mechanism between its locked and released positions.
3. A line reeling device according to claim 2, wherein the braking
mechanism includes a brake drum and brake shoe carried by the cam
slider so that the brake shoe is movable towards and away from the
brake drum through movement of the control mechanism between its
locked and released positions respectively, thereby allowing the
magnitude of braking force to be adjusted by moving the control
mechanism.
4. A line reeling device according to claim 3, wherein the reeling
mechanism includes movement obstructing means for obstructing
rotation of at least the second reel in a direction in which the
back lines are deployed from the reel, the movement obstructing
means being operable between its movement obstructing position and
its movement allowing position through manipulation of the control
mechanism.
5. A line reeling device according to claim 2, wherein the reeling
mechanism includes a retraction system acting on the first reel,
the retraction system preventing rotation of the first reel in a
first configuration and allows rotation of the first reel in a
second configuration, and wherein the braking mechanism acts on the
second reel to control rotation of the second reel.
6. A line reeling device according to claim 1, including two handle
bars which are movablely connected to the enclosure such that they
are movable between a first, operative position wherein they extend
from the enclosure in substantially opposite directions and a
second, inoperative position wherein they run substantially
parallel to one another.
7. A line reeling device according to claim 1, including a line
locking mechanism which is releasably securable to the front lines
of the kite so as to allow a force to be transmitted from the front
lines to the harness worn by the user, in use.
8. A kit including a line reeling device according to claim 1 and a
hand operated tool which is engageable with the line reeling device
so as to rotate the reels to retrieve the kite lines when the hand
operated tool is activated.
9. A method of operating a kite using a line reeling device, the
method including the following steps: providing a reeling mechanism
comprising: a first reel on which front lines are, in use, wound
and being arranged so that rotation of the first reel in one
direction retracts the front lines and rotation of the first reel
in the other direction deploys the front lines; a second reel on
which back lines are, in use, wound and being arranged so that
rotation of the second reel in one direction retracts the back
lines and rotation of the second reel in the other direction
deploys the back lines; and the first and second reels being
located in an enclosure; connecting the front lines to a leading
edge portion of the kite and connecting the back lines to a
trailing edge portion of the kite; operating a control mechanism
from a first, locked position into a second, released position,
thereby engaging reel connecting means to cause the first and
second reels to move in harmony and releasing a braking mechanism
to allow the first and second reels to rotate and thereby deploy
line from the reels at the same rate to keep the angle of attack of
the kite constant to allow for accurate control over the kite; and
operating the control mechanism from the second, released position
into the first, locked position, thereby braking the reels by
applying the braking mechanism, disengaging the reel connecting
means to allow the first and second reels to rotate independently
from one another to allow for a change in the angle of attack of
the kite in order to power and depower the kite and locking the
first reels to prevent it from rotating in a direction deploying
line, in use, while flying the kite.
10. A method according to claim 9, including the step of connecting
a line locking mechanism on the front lines to engage a connector
carried on the front lines, thereby to transfer tension from the
front lines to a harness warn by the user.
11. A method according to claim 9, including the step of
controlling the rate at which the lines are being deployed by
adjusting the braking force being applied by the braking
mechanism.
12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of releasing a
braking mechanism includes moving a brake shoe away from a brake
drum.
13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of preventing
the reels from rotating in a direction deploying line includes
preventing them independently from rotating in a direction
deploying line.
14. A method according to claim 9, including the step of retrieving
the kite lines by engaging a hand operated tool with the line
reeling device and activating the tool to rotate the reels in a
direction opposite to the direction in which they rotate to deploy
line.
15. A method according to claim 9, including moving handle bars
protruding from the line reeling device between operative and
inoperative positions.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a U.S. National Phase of International
Application No. PCT/IB2015/052181, filed Mar. 25, 2015, designating
the United States of America and claiming priority to South African
Patent Application No. 2014/02191 filed Mar. 25, 2014. This
application claims the benefit of the above-identified application
which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a kite line reeling device. In
particular, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a
handlebar including a device for use in launching and landing kites
used in kite surfing, for example.
Modern kite surfing kites are controlled by four lines which, in
use, run from the kite down towards the user. Two lines run from
the front or leading edge of the kite and are therefore referred to
as the front lines while the other two lines run from the back or
tailing edge of the kite and are therefore referred to as the back
lines. In use, the two front lines are connected to a harness worn
by the user while the two back lines are connected to a bar which
is gripped by the user. In order to power-up and depower the kite,
the user must move the bar closer or further away from him/her
respectively. By moving the bar closer the back of the kite is
pulled towards the user so as to increase the surface area of the
kite relative to the wind. It follows naturally that by moving the
bar away from the user the back of the kite moves towards a
position more in line with the wind direction so as to decrease the
surface area of the kite relative to the wind. It must be
understood that the kite is powered and depowered by tightening and
loosening the back lines relative to the front lines through the
movement of the bar.
In view of what is said above it is important that the lines are
correctly connected to the kite when setting up the kite before
launching it into the wind. To ensure that the lines are correctly
connected to the kite the bar is usually put down on the ground and
the lines are laid out. In this position the user normally walks
the lines out to ensure that they are not entangled before
connecting the individual lines to their respective connecting
positions on the kite.
The step of walking out the lines prior to connecting them to the
kite not only takes up times but also requires significant space as
the lines are typically between 20 m and 30 m in length. Another
problem with the current method of setting up the kite is that it
must be performed on land. The kite is launched in with the lines
stretched out and the user in a position transverse to the
direction of the wind, typically around 90.degree.. Users who would
like to launch off watercrafts, for example, are often faced with
problems in launching the kites as there is usually very limited
space for setting up their kites.
At the end of a kite surfing session the kite must be landed. This
is typically done by bringing the kite down towards the ground at a
position wherein it is substantially perpendicular to the direction
of the wind. The kite is then placed on the ground either by a
bystander or by the user if he/she has the necessary skills to do
so remotely from his/her position. In the process of landing the
kite, the lines are fully stretched out, which again requires
significant space. Now with the kite on the ground and out of the
wind the user normally disconnects the lines from the kite and
places them on the ground. The lines are then wrapped around the
bar for easy transportation and in an attempt to prevent them from
getting tangled up.
From the above description of the process of landing the kite it
should be clear that the same problems are experienced during the
landing of the kite that are experienced during the launching
thereof.
It is an object of this invention to alleviate at least some of the
problems experienced during the launching and landing of a
kite.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for
use in landing and launching a kite that will be a useful
alternative to existing equipment.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for
the automatic reeling of kite lines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is
provided a line reeling device for reeling front and back lines of
a kite, the device including a reeling mechanism comprising a first
reel and a second reel which are located in an enclosure and on
which the front and back lines are, in use, wound respectively, the
reels being arranged so that their rotation in one direction
retracts the lines and their rotation in the other direction
deploys the lines, reel connecting means which is operable to cause
the reels to rotate in harmony in one configuration and rotate
independently in another configuration, a braking mechanism for
controlling rotation of the reels and a control mechanism which is
in connection with the braking mechanism and operable between a
first, locked position wherein rotation of the reels is obstructed
and a second, released position wherein rotation of the reels is
allowed.
The reeling mechanism may include a movable cam slider and a cam
follower which runs on the cam slider and is moveable substantially
perpendicularly to the cam slider in response to movement of the
cam slider, and wherein the cam slider is connected to the control
mechanism such that it is moveable through manipulation of the
control mechanism between its locked and released positions.
The braking mechanism preferably includes a brake drum and brake
shoe carried by the cam slider so that the brake shoe is movable
towards and away from the brake drum through movement of the
control mechanism between its locked and released positions
respectively, thereby allowing the magnitude of braking force to be
adjusted by moving the control mechanism.
The reeling mechanism may include movement obstructing means for
obstructing rotation of at least the second reel in a direction in
which the back lines are deployed from the reel, the movement
obstructing means being operable between its movement obstructing
position and its movement allowing position through manipulation of
the control mechanism.
The movement obstructing means is preferably in the form a ratchet
and ratchet pawl, the ratchet pawl being moveable between its
movement obstructing position wherein it engages the ratchet and
its movement allowing position wherein it is disengaged from the
ratchet through movement of the cam slider. The ratchet may be
carried by the brake drum.
The reel connecting means may be in the form of a gear train which
is engaged to allow the first and second reels to rotate in harmony
by moving the control mechanism into its second, released position
and which is disengaged by moving the control mechanism into its
first, locked position.
The gear train preferably has a first primary gear and a second
primary gear which are mounted coaxially, the first reel being
mounted on a shaft carried by the first primary gear and the second
reel being mounted on a shaft carried by the second primary
gear.
The first and second reels may be spaced apart from one another and
the first and second primary gears are mounted between the reels in
such a manner that the gears define a passage to allow a rope to
pass therethrough so as to connect the front lines to a harness
worn by the user, in use.
The reeling mechanism may further include a dog plate which is
movable in response to movement of the cam follower to connect the
first primary gear to the first reel in order to engage the gear
train and disconnect the first primary gear from the first reel in
order to disengage the gear train.
The reeling mechanism may also include a retraction system acting
on the first reel, the retraction system preventing rotation of the
first reel in a first configuration and allowing rotation of the
first reel in a second configuration while the braking mechanism
acts on the second reel to control rotation of the second reel.
The retraction system preferably has a spring biased gear which is
movable between a first position wherein it engages the first reef
to prevent rotation of the first reel and a second position wherein
it is disengaged from the first reel to allow rotation of the first
reel. The spring biased gear may be mounted on the cam follower so
that it is movable between its first and second positions through
manipulation of the control mechanism between its locked and
released positions such that the spring biased gear is in its
second position in which rotation of the first reel is allowed when
the control mechanism is in its released position.
The spring biased gear is preferably movable between its first and
second positions manually and independently from movement of the
control mechanism.
The reeling device may further include two handle bars which are
movablely connected to the enclosure such that they are movable
between a first, operative position wherein the handle bars extend
from the enclosure in substantially opposite directions and a
second, inoperative position wherein the handle bars run
substantially parallel to one another.
The reeling device may also include a line locking mechanism which
is releasably securable to the front lines of the kite so as to
allow a force to be transmitted from the front lines to the harness
worn by the user, in use.
The gears of the gear train may include two sets of gears, each set
having two gears which are coaxially spaced apart.
One pair of gears may be a primary set of gears which is coaxial
with the two reels, while the other set of gears may be a secondary
set of gears which is perpendicular to the primary set of gears and
which, in use, transmit torque between the two primary gears.
The brake drum may be mountable on the shaft of one of the primary
gears.
The control mechanism may comprise a handle which is connected to
the cam slider so that movement of the handle causes the cam slider
to move between its different positions.
The cam follower may be in the form of a bridge which has two legs
extending from a central portion which is mountable about the shaft
of one of the primary gears, preferably the first primary gear,
such that the legs of the cam follower bridge are located on
diametrically opposite sides of the first reel when the cam
follower bridge is mounted on the shaft.
The cam follower bridge is preferably movable, in a direction
substantially parallel to the axial centreline of the primary
gears, between a first position in which the gear train is
disengaged to allow the reels to rotate independently from one
another and a second position in which the gear train is engaged to
allow the reels to rotate in harmony with one another.
The dog plate may be mountable on the shaft of the first primary
gear, wherein the dog plate is carried by the cam follower bridge
so as to connect the shaft and the first reel to engage the gear
train when the cam follower bridge is in its second position and
disconnect the dog plate and first reel to disengage the gear train
when the cam follower bridge is in its first position.
The dog plate and first reel preferably carry complementary shaped
engagement means which allows torque to be transmitted from the
shaft to the first reel when the gear train is engaged.
The spring actuator gear may be is engageable with a gear formation
carried on the top reel. Preferably, the spring actuator gear is
mounted on the cam follower bridge so that it is movable
substantially linearly in a direction parallel to the axial
centreline of the primary gears.
The spring actuator gear may be biased towards its position in
which it engages the top reel.
The reeling mechanism may have a button which is accessible from
the outside of the enclosure and which disengages the spring
retractor gear from the top reel when depressed.
The handle bars are preferably locked in their operative positions
by means of releasable pins. The pins may be movable between their
locked positions and release positions against spring bias.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the pins retract
completely into recesses in the enclosure when they are in their
locked positions in which they lock the handle bars in the
operative position.
The device may include a key which carries an engagement formation
for engaging the releasable pins when moving the pins to collapse
the handle bars.
The line locking mechanism is preferably in the form of a clamp
which has a clamp body and a top clamp which is movable between
open and closed positions.
Preferably, the line locking mechanism has a clamp lever for
operating the line locking mechanism between its open and closed
positons, the clamp lever being connected pivotally to the clamp
body and by means of a linkage to the movable top clamp such that
the linkage holds the top clamp in its closed position when the
lever is in its closed position.
In one embodiment of the invention the line locking mechanism has
gripping formations which engage the kite lines when the line
locking mechanism is connected to the kite lines.
The gripping formation may be in the form of at least one tooth
which, in use, introduces a kink in the kite lines so as to
increase the gripping force being exerted on the kite lines.
The line locking mechanism is preferably substantially spherical
when in its closed position.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention there is
provided a method of operating a kite using a line reeling device
including a reeling mechanism having first and second reels which
are located in a housing and on which the front and back lines are,
in use, wound respectively, the method including the following
steps: connecting the kite to the front and back lines which are
wound on the reels; engaging reel connecting means to cause the two
reels to move in harmony; releasing a braking mechanism to allow
the reels to rotate and thereby deploy line from the reels; braking
the reels by applying the braking mechanism; disengaging the reel
connecting means to allow the reels to rotate independently from
one another; and locking the reels to prevent them from rotating in
a direction deploying line, in use, while flying the kite.
The method may include the step of connecting a line locking
mechanism on the front lines to engage a connector carried on the
front lines, thereby to transfer tension from the front lines to a
harness warn by the user. The method may include deforming the kite
lines when connecting the line locking mechanism to them so as to
increase the gripping force being exerted on the lines.
The reel connecting means is preferably in the form of a gear train
such that the step of engaging the reel connecting means includes
compacting the gear train.
The compaction of the gear train may be controlled by a cam slider
and cam follower running on a cam profile of the cam slider. The
cam slider may be moved by operating a handle which is connected to
the cam slider.
The gear train may be compacted in an axial direction in order to
connect the top reel with a dog plate carried on a shaft of the
primary gear on which the first reel is carried.
The cam follower may be in the form of a bridge and may be moved
under spring bias into a position in which it forces the dog plate
to engage the first reel when as it is moved along the cam profile.
The cam follower bridge is preferably moved along the cam profile
by moving the cam slider.
The method preferably includes the step of controlling the rate at
which the lines are being deployed by adjusting the braking force
being applied by the braking mechanism.
The method may further include monitoring indicating means on the
front lines and adjusting the rate at which the lines are being
deployed based on the indicators.
The step of releasing a braking mechanism may include moving a
brake shoe away from a brake drum. The brake shoe may be moved away
from the brake drum by moving the cam slider.
The step of preventing the reels from rotating in a direction
deploying line includes preventing them independently from rotating
in a direction deploying line.
The first reel is preferably prevented from rotating in a direction
deploying line by engaging it with a spring biased gear and the
second reel is preferably obstructed from rotating in a direction
employing line by engaging a ratchet pawl with a ratchet.
The ratchet pawl may automatically disengage the ratchet when the
reel connecting means is engaged.
The method may further include the step of taking up slack in the
front lines by rotating the spring biased gear under action of a
torsion spring when engaging the first reel.
The method may also include the step of adjusting the length of the
front lines so that the front and back lines are of equal length.
This step is preferably carried out prior to releasing the braking
mechanism. This step may also include disengaging the spring biased
gear from the first reel.
The method may also include the step of retrieving the kite lines
by engaging a hand operated tool with the line reeling device and
activating the tool to rotate the reels in a direction opposite to
the direction in which they rotate to deploy line. The hand
operated tool may be engaged with the line reeling device using a
removable adaptor. The method may include engaging the reel
connecting means by compacting it manually through downward
movement of the hand operated tool.
The method may also include moving handle bars protruding from the
line reeling device between operative and inoperative positions.
The method preferably includes holding the kite between the handle
bars when they are in their inoperative positions so as to
facilitate transport of the kite when not in use in its folded
state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a kite line reeling device in
accordance with the invention, in use;
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in which
its handle bars are shown in their inoperative, collapsed
positions;
FIG. 4 shows perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in which the
handle bars have been removed;
FIG. 5 shows an exploded, top perspective view of the device of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 shows an exploded, bottom perspective view of the device of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in which
its enclosure has been removed to reveal a line reeling mechanism
of the device;
FIG. 8 shows a top view of the device of FIG. 1 in which the
enclosure has been removed;
FIG. 9 shows a front view of the device of FIG. 1 in which the
enclosure has been removed;
FIG. 10 shows a top perspective view of a braking mechanism of the
reeling mechanism of the device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 shows a bottom perspective view of the braking mechanism of
FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 shows a bottom plan view of the braking mechanism of FIG.
10 in which a ratchet pawl is shown in a locked position engaged
with a ratchet;
FIG. 13 shows a bottom plan view of the braking mechanism of FIG.
10 in which a ratchet pawl is shown in an unlocked position
disengaged from the ratchet;
FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a line locking mechanism of the
device of FIG. 1, the locking mechanism being shown in its open
configuration;
FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the line locking mechanism of
FIG. 14 in its closed configuration; and
FIG. 16 shows a side view of the line locking mechanism of FIG. 14
in its open configuration.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like
features, a non-limiting example of a kite line reeling device in
accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference
numeral 10.
A perspective view of the kite line reeling device 10 in use is
shown in FIG. 1 while FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of
the device. The device 10 has two handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 which
extend in substantially opposite directions to form a handlebar of
a kite 200, such as a kite used in the sport of kite surfing, for
example. It can be seen that the kite 200 is controlled by four
lines running from the kite to the handlebar. The first set of
lines, which includes two individual lines indicated by the
reference signs 202.1 and 202.2, runs from the front or leading
edge 204 of the kite 200. The lines 202.1 and 202.2 will
hereinafter be referred to collectively as the front lines 202. A
second set of lines, which includes two individual lines 206.1 and
206.2, runs from a back or trailing edge 208 of the kite 200 to the
two laterally opposed sides of the handlebar. The lines 206.1 and
206.2 will hereinafter be referred to collectively as the back
lines 206.
In use, the front lines 202 are connected to a rope 210 which is,
in turn, connected to a harness (not shown in the accompanying
drawings) worn by the user using a chicken loop 211. The front
lines are connected to the rope 210 by means of a connector 212,
also referred to as a D-link as shackle, carried on the end of a
strap 214, which is provided at the end of the rope 210. As shown
in FIG. 2, the front lines 202 run through the connector 212 so
that the connector can move freely along the length of the front
lines. In order to allow a force to be transferred from the front
lines 202 to the rope 210 and ultimately the harness worn by the
user, a line locking mechanism 120 is secured onto the front lines.
In use, the line locking mechanism 120 is fixed into position on
the front lines 202 and acts as a limit stop to limit the movement
of the connector 212 along the front lines. In use, after the
desired length of the lines has been deployed, the line locking
mechanism 120 is fixed onto the front lines 202 in a position
between the device 10 and the connector 212. The line locking
mechanism 120 now secures the two front lines and acts as an anchor
point for the connector 212. In view of the fact that the rope 210
is attached to the user's harness the connector 212 will slide back
towards the device 10 until it comes into contact with the line
locking mechanism 120. The locking mechanism 120 prevents further
movement of the connector 212 towards the device 10 and accordingly
allows the tension in the front lines 202 to be transferred to the
connector 212 and ultimately to the user's harness through the rope
210. A person skilled in the art of kitesurfing would appreciate
that the line locking mechanism 120 allows the kite's power and
depower straps to function normally without requiring any
adjustment.
The kite reeling device 10 has a reeling mechanism 14 located in
the centre of the handlebar. The rope 210 runs through a passage 16
in the reeling mechanism 14 so as to allow the handlebar to move
relative to the rope 210 when powering and depowering the kite 200.
The back lines 206 run from the trailing edge 208 of the kite 200
towards the end regions 18.1 and 18.2 of the handle bars 12.1 and
12.2 respectively from where they run towards the central reeling
mechanism 14. The back lines 206 run in conduits 19 along in the
handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 and exit the handle bars in their end
regions 18.1 and 18.2 respectively. It must be understood that in
order to power and depower the kite the connection point between
the front lines 202 and the rope 210 must remain stationary in
relation to the connection points between the back lines 206 and
the line reeling device 10 whenever moving the handle bar relative
to the rope. This relative movement between the front and back
lines allows the kite 200 to change the size of its surface area in
the wind. In other words, the relative movement between the
connections points of the front lines in relation to the connection
points of the back lines allows the user to change the angle of
attack of the kite in the wind.
The reeling mechanism 14 has a housing or enclosure which includes
a top enclosure 20.1, a bottom enclosure 20.2 and a bottom
enclosure cover 20.3. The enclosure is held together by securing
the individual components to a body or main support block 22 (FIGS.
5 and 6). In the preferred embodiment of the reeling device 10, the
top and bottom enclosures 20.1 and 20.2 are secured to the support
block 22 by means of fasteners, such as screws for example. The
bottom enclosure cover 20.3 is secured to the bottom enclosure 20.2
also by means of fasteners such as screws.
The support block 22 carries two connecting portions 24 which
protrude therefrom and extend through openings in the enclosure.
The connecting portions 24 connect to complementary shaped
connecting portions 26 (FIGS. 2 and 3) carried on the ends of the
handle bars 12.1 and 12.2. The connecting portions 24 and 26 are
secured to one another by a fastener 28 which extends through
aligned holes in the connecting portions when the handle bars are
connected to the support block 22. From FIG. 4 it can be seen that
the fastener 28 is in the form of a threaded bolt and is secured in
the aligned holes of the connecting portions 24 and 26 by a nut 30.
The bolt 28 creates a pivot axis about which the handle bars are
capable of pivoting so that they are movable between a first
operative position (FIG. 2) wherein they extend in substantially
opposite directions away from the reeling device 14 and an
inoperative position wherein they are collapsed so that they are
substantially parallel to one another (FIG. 3). From FIG. 3 it can
be seen that each handle bar 12.1, 12.2 has a locking tab 32 which
extends from its connecting formation 26 and carries a hole 34. In
use, the handle bars are locked in their operative positions by
means of locking pins 36. Each locking pin 36 is independently
movable between a first, locked position wherein it extends through
the hole 34 in the corresponding locking tab 32 in order to
obstruct movement of the associated handle bar and a second,
released position wherein the locking pin is removed from the hole
34 in order to allow movement of the handle bar. In the preferred
embodiment of the device 10 the locking pins 36 are biased under
spring bias into their first, locked positions so that the handle
bars 12.1 and 12.2 are in a normally locked state, in use. As a
safety feature the locking pins 36 (FIG. 6) retract fully into
sockets 38 (FIG. 6) provided in the enclosure thereby to prevent
them from being moved accidentally into their released positions.
It should be understood that no part of the locking pins 36
protrude from the enclosure when they are in their locked
positions. In order to move the locking pins 36 from their locked
positions and into their released positions they carry engaging
formations which can be gripped by a gripping tool 144. In the
illustrated embodiment of the invention the gripping formations are
in the form of annular grooves and the gripping tool carries a
fork-shaped end 146 which is receivable in the grooves. It is
envisaged that the gripping tool could either be stored in a space
in the enclosure or in a space in the line locking mechanism 120 as
shown in the accompanying drawings. In the illustrated embodiment
of the device 10 the gripping tool in stored inside the line
locking mechanism 120. More about this is said below.
In FIG. 7 the enclosure and central mounting block 22 of the device
10 are removed to reveal the components of the reeling mechanism
14. The reeling mechanism 14 includes a first or top reel 40 onto
which the front lines 202 are, in use, wound and a second or bottom
reel 42 on which the back lines 206 are, in use, wound. Both reels
40, 42 are rotatable in two opposite directions about a centre axis
44 of the reeling mechanism 14 in order to allow the front and back
lines to be reeled onto and deployed from the reels. It should be
understood the kite lines are wound onto the reels 40, 42 by
rotating them in a first direction while they are deployed from the
reels by rotating the reels in a second direction. In the preferred
embodiment of the device 10 the reels 40, 42 are rotated in a
clockwise direction to wind the kite lines onto them, i.e. to
retract line, and rotated in an anti-clockwise direction to deploy
the lines when viewed from above in FIG. 8.
In the illustrated embodiment of the device 10 the front lines 202
and back lines 206 are deployed and retrieved at the same rate by
allowing the top reel 40 and bottom reel 42 to rotate in harmony.
By rotating the top and bottom reels 40, 42 in harmony the angle of
attack of the kite 200 remains constant throughout the launch or
retrieval of the kite, thereby allowing accurate control over kite.
However, in use after launching the kite 200 it is desired to allow
the top reel 40 to rotate independently so as to take up any slack
in the front lines 202. More about his is said below.
Movement of the top reel 40 and bottom reel 42 is controlled
through reel connecting means which is in the form of a gear train
46 in the illustrated embodiment. The gear train 46 is probably
best seen in FIG. 9. The gear train 46 has a series of bevel gears
which transmits rotation from one reel to the other and, in
particular from the bottom reel 42 to the top reel 40. As shown in
FIG. 9 the gear train 46 includes a first primary gear 48.1 which
has a spindle shaft 50.1 extending from it and a second primary
gear 48.2 which as a spindle shaft 50.2 extending from it. The
first and second primary gears 48.1, 48.2 are arranged relative to
one another so that their shafts 50.1 and 50.2 are axially aligned
and extend in opposite directions. To transmit rotation between the
two primary gears 48.1 and 48.2 the gear train 46 includes two
secondary gears 48.3 and 48.4 which are arranged substantially
perpendicularly to the primary gears 48.1 and 48.2. It must be
understood that the arrangement of gears in the gear train 46
defines an internal opening or space 52 between them to allow the
rope 210 to pass through the reeling device 10 for attachment to
the user's harness.
Rotation of the second primary gear 48.2, and accordingly the
bottom reel 42, is controlled by means of a breaking mechanism 54
illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, which show a top and bottom
perspective view respectively. For the sake of simplicity only the
breaking mechanism is shown in these two figures. The braking
mechanism 54 has a cam slider 56 which is carried movably on the
support block (not shown in FIGS. 10 and 11). The cam slider 56 is
movable back and forth in the direction 58 as shown in FIG. 10
through manipulation of a control mechanism in the form of a handle
60. The handle 60 has two legs 62.1 and 62.2 which are each
connected to the cam slider 56 through a pin and slot arrangement
64. The ends of the legs 62.1 and 62.2 which are, in use, their
bottom ends are fixed to the enclosure of the device 10 and in
particular the bottom enclosure 20.2 by means of fasteners 66. The
fasteners 66 act as pivot shafts about which the handle 60, in use,
pivots when it is moved between its different positions.
FIG. 12 shows a top view of the braking mechanism 54 in which the
handle 60 is in a first, locked position wherein rotation of the
bottom reel 42 is prevented. FIG. 13, in turn, shows a top view of
the braking mechanism 54 in which the handle 60 is in a second,
released position wherein rotation of the bottom reel 42 is
allowed.
When the handle 60 is in its locked position rotation of the bottom
reel 42 is prevented by means of a brake shoe 68 acting on a brake
drum 70. As can be seen in FIG. 10 the brake shoe 68 is carried on
the cam slider 56 while the brake drum 70 is carried on the spindle
shaft 50.2 of the second primary gear 48.2. This arrangement allows
the brake shoe 68 to be moved relative to the brake drum 70 through
manipulation of the handle 60. Referring still to FIG. 10, the
brake shoe 68 is connected to the cam slider 56 by means of
adjustable pins 72 running through lip formations 74 and 76 located
on the brake shoe and cam slider respectively. Front and rear brake
springs 78.1 and 78.2 act between the cam slider 56 and brake shoe
68 so that the handle 60 is always moved against spring resistance
when it is moved between its locked and released positions.
Referring now in particular to FIG. 11 it can be seen that the
brake drum 70 carries a ratchet 80 on a surface which is, in use, a
bottom surface. A ratchet pawl 82 is positioned so that it engages
the ratchet 80 when the handle 60 is in its locked position and
releases the ratchet when the handle is in its released position.
These two positions of the ratchet pawl 82 are shown in FIGS. 12
and 13. In the locked position of FIG. 12, in which the ratchet
pawl 82 engages the ratchet 80, the bottom reel 42 is prevented
from rotating, thereby preventing the device from deploying the
kite lines. In contrast, in the position of FIG. 13 in which the
ratchet pawl 82 is disengaged from the ratchet 80 the bottom reel
42 is free to rotate to deploy the kite lines. It must be
understood that the direction of the ratchet teeth is such that the
ratchet obstructs deployment of the kite lines from the reel 42 and
not the retrieval of the lines. The ratchet 80 and ratchet pawl 82
are also collectively referred to as movement obstructing
means.
To ensure that the ratchet 80 and the bottom reel 42 rotate in
harmony the brake drum 70 carries connecting formations which
engage complementary shaped connecting formations located on the
bottom reel 42. As shown in FIG. 11 the connecting formations on
the ratchet 70 are in the form of teeth 84 which engage a series of
complementary shaped recesses or sockets (not shown in the
accompanying drawings) in the bottom reel. The teeth 84 on the
ratchet 80 are permanently engaged with the sockets on bottom reel
42 when the reeling device 10 is assembled.
From the above description of the connection between the bottom
reel 42 and the gear train 46 it must be understood that the bottom
reel always rotates in harmony with the spindle shaft 50.2 on which
it is mounted. This is in contrast to the top reel 40 which is not
permanently engaged with the spindle shaft 50.1 of the first
primary gear 48.1. Returning now to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the
reeling mechanism 14 includes a cam follower bridge 86. The bridge
86 has a central portion 86.1 and two legs 86.2 and 86.3 extending
substantially perpendicularly therefrom. Each leg 86.2, 86.3
terminates in a cam follower 88 which, in use, follows a cam
profile 90 of the cam slider 56. When the handle 60 is in its
locked position as shown in the FIG. 7, the cam followers 88 are
located on raised sections or portions 92 of the cam profile 90.
When the handle 60 is moved into its release position, the cam
followers 88 move downwardly onto a lower section or portion 94 of
the cam slider 56 so that the entire cam follower bridge 86 is
lowered. This downward movement of the bridge 86 forces a dog plate
96 downwardly towards the top reel 40 so as to engage complementary
shaped connecting formations carried on the dog plate and top reel
respectively. The complementary shaped connecting formations are
again in the form of a series of teeth 98 (FIG. 9) located on the
dog plate 96 which engage recesses or sockets (not visible in the
accompanying drawings) in the top reel 40. It should be clear that
when the teeth 98 engage the sockets in the top reel 40 rotation of
the dog plate 96 can be transferred to the top reel 40.
To ensure that the bridge 86 follows the cam profile 88 of the cam
slider 56, two compression springs 100 are located and act between
the central portion 86.1 of the bridge and the top enclosure 20.1.
From FIG. 7 it can be seen that the springs 100 are arranged so
that their centre axes are substantially in line with the centre
axis 44 of the reeling mechanism 14. The springs 100 are of such a
length that they are compressed when the reeling device 10 is
assembled, i.e. when the top enclosure 20.1 is connected to the
bottom enclosure 20.2. This arrangement provides that the bridge 86
is, in use, forced downwardly under spring bias, thereby
automatically engaging the dog plate 96 with the top reel 40 when
the handle 60 is moved from its locked position into its released
position. The internal passage of the dog plate through which the
spindle shaft 50.1 extends is complementary shaped to the spindle
shaft so that the dog plate always moves in harmony with the
spindle shaft 50.1 and therefore the first primary gear 48.1. It
should therefore be understood that when the handle 60 is in its
release position the dog plate 96 engages the top reel 40 so that
the top and bottom reels 40, 42 rotate in harmony. In this
configuration in which the top and bottom reels 40, 42 rotate in
harmony it is said that the gear train 46 is engaged or connected.
Conversely, in the other configuration in which the reels 40, 42 do
not rotate in harmony it is said that the gear train is disengaged
or disconnected.
The reeling mechanism 14 also includes a retraction system having a
spring biased gear 102 (FIG. 9) mounted on the bridge leg 88.2 for
engagement with gear teeth 104 carried by the top reel 40. The
spring biased gear 102 is also referred to as the spring retractor
gear 102. The retractor gear 102 has a shaft protruding
perpendicularly from it and which extends into a housing 106 where
a torsion spring (now shown) is located. The shaft of the retractor
gear 102 extends through an elongate slot in the bridge leg 88.2 in
such a manner that the shaft is allowed to move back and forth
along the length of the slot, i.e. up and down in the orientation
of FIG. 9. From FIG. 9 it can be seen that the housing 106 is urged
by a coil spring 108 in a direction which is, in use, substantially
an upward direction. It should be clear that the retractor gear 102
is urged upwardly into a position wherein it engages the teeth 104
carried by the top reel 40. When engaging the top reel 40, the
torsion spring acting on the shaft of the retractor gear 102 biases
it into a direction in which slack is taken up in the front lines.
In view of the fact that the retractor gear 102 remains
substantially stationary, apart from the minimal rotation to take
up slack in the front lines 202, it obstructs rotation of the top
reel 40 when it engages the teeth 104 of the top reel 40. In order
to allow rotation of the top reel 40 the retractor gear 102 has to
be disengaged, i.e. moved downwardly away from the top reel 40, by
either pressing the housing 106 manually downwardly or by moving
the handle 60 into its release position which lowers the bridge 86
and accordingly the spring retractor gear 102 mounted thereon.
During the launch of the kite the handle 60 will be pulled back
into its release position which disengages the retractor gear 102
to allow both the reels 40 and 42 to deploy line. After the desired
amount of line has been deployed from the reels the handle 60 is
moved back into its locked position which engages the retractor
gear 102 in order to prevent rotation of the top reel 40. In the
event that there is excess or slack line on the front lines this is
taken up by the torsion spring located in the retractor housing
106. It should be understood that prior to launching the kite 200
the front and back lines 202, 206 are preferably adjusted so that
they are of equal length. This is done by manually pressing down on
the housing 106 to allow the top reel 40 to rotate independently
from the bottom reel 42. In this position the top reel 40 can
deploy additional line independently from the bottom reel 42 should
this be desired. A raised button 110 extends from the housing 106
and protrudes through an opening in the top enclosure 20.1 so that
it is accessible to the user. The retractor gear 102 can therefore
be disengaged from the top reel 40 by depressing the button
110.
It is envisaged that alternative retraction systems could be used
in alternative embodiments of the reeling device. For example, the
coil spring 108 could be built into the centre of the top reel
40.
It is also envisaged that the retraction system could be removed
completely from the device 10. This would result in a significant
reduction in weight, size and complexity of the device 10. If the
retraction system is removed from the device it would not have the
ability to take up slack in the front lines after the launch of the
kite. It is believed that this would not have a significant effect
on the operation and effectiveness of the reeling device 10. It is
further envisaged that this alternative embodiment, in which the
slack in the front lines is not retracted, could include a guard
for the front lines to protect them in use.
As mentioned above, after deployment of the lines and before
retrieving any slack in the front lines 202, the line locking
mechanism 120 has to be attached to the front lines. The line
locking mechanism 120 is shown in detail in FIGS. 14 to 16. FIG. 14
shows the mechanism 120 in an open, unlocked position wherein the
kite lines 202 can be placed into or taken out of its jaws while
FIG. 15 shows the locking mechanism in a closed, locked position
wherein the lines can be locked in its jaws. Referring in
particular to FIG. 14 it can be seen that the mechanism is designed
as a clamp which has a clamp body 122 and a movable top clamp 124.
The top claim 124 is movably secured to the clamp body 122 by means
of a pin 126. To pivot the top clamp 124 about the pin 126 a clamp
lever 128 is provided. The clamp lever 128 is connected to both the
clamp body 122 by means of a pin 130 and the top clamp 124 by means
of a linkage 132. Probably best seen in FIG. 16, the linkage 132 is
also connected to the clamp lever 128 and top clamp 124 by means of
pins 134 and 136. The linkage 132 forces the top clamp 124 into its
closed position as the lever 128 is moved into its closed position.
In the closed position the linkage locks or holds the top clamp 124
in its closed position so as to secure the front lines in the line
locking mechanism 120. The clamp body 122 and top clamp 124 carry
complementary shaped gripping formations for gripping the kite
lines 202 when the line locking mechanism is in its closed
position. As shown in FIG. 14 the gripping formations on the top
clamp 124 are in the form of teeth 138 and the gripping formations
on the clamp body 122 are in the form of recesses 140 in which the
teeth are received when the clamp body is closed. The recesses 140
run transverse to grooves 142 in which the kite lines are received
when the line locking mechanism 120 is attached to them. The teeth
138 are profiled so as to help capture the kite lines as the top
clamp 124 is moved into its closed position. It should be
understood that the teeth 138 help secure the line locking
mechanism 120 on the kite lines by deforming the lines, thereby
increasing the gripping force being exerted on the kite lines. In
the illustrated embodiment of the mechanism 120 the teeth 138
introduce a kink in the lines 202.
Probably best seen in FIG. 16, the gripping tool 144 is movable
between an operative position (as shown in FIG. 16) and an
inoperative position wherein it is stowed away inside the clamp
body 122. The gripping tool 144 pivots about a pin 148 between its
operative and inoperative positions. It is envisaged that the
gripping tool 144 will remain in its inoperative position and will
only be moved into its operative position when the user wants to
move the handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 between their extended or
collapsed positions.
From the above description of the kite reeling mechanism 14 it
should be understood that in order to retrieve the kite lines the
gear train 46 has to be connected, i.e. the dog plate 96 has to be
engaged with the top reel 40 so that the top and bottom reels 40,
42 rotate in harmony. Instead of using the handle 60 to do this an
adaptor 112 is inserted into openings 114.1 and 114.2 in the top
enclosure 20.1. The adaptor 112 extends through the openings 114.1
and 114.2 and engages the dog plate 96 so that downward movement of
the adaptor forces the dog plate 96 downwardly. The adaptor 112
also allows for the alignment of an external hand operated tool,
such as a drill for example, with the spindle shaft 50.1. As shown
in FIG. 4 the end of the spindle shaft 50.1 carries a tool
engagement hole 116 for engagement with the hand operated drill.
When retrieving the kite 200 the adaptor 112 for the drill is
attached to the drill tip for easy one hand operation. The adaptor
is placed in position, i.e. in the holes 114.1 and 114.2, and the
hand operated drill, carrying a flat bit, is inserted into the
adaptor until the bit engages the hole 116 in the spindle shaft
50.1. The hand operated drill is then pressed downwardly to force
the dog plate 96 to engage the top reel 40, thereby connecting the
gear train 46. The hand tool is then actuated to rotate the spindle
shaft 50.1 and accordingly the top and bottom reels 40 and 42 in an
anticlockwise direction to retrieve the kite lines. Once the kite
lines have been retrieved by a satisfactory amount the adaptor 112
and hand operated drill are simply removed.
It should be noted that before the lines are retrieved by means of
the hand operated drill as described above the line locking
mechanism 120 has to be removed from the front lines 202.
It is believed that various modifications could be made to the
reeling device 10 without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention. For example, the positions of the reels 40 and 42
could be changed. It is envisaged that instead of positioning the
reels 40, 42 on opposite sides of the handlebar, they could be
stacked directly on top of each other and laid flat then placed on
top of or below the handlebar. There is also provided for the reels
40, 42 to be oriented vertically, i.e. so that their axial
centrelines are substantially parallel to the handlebar, then
placed on top or below the handlebar.
It is also envisaged that the reeling device 10 could include an
additional braking/locking mechanism to ensure the top reel does
not over-deploy. In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, when the handle 60 is released and the top reel 40 is
disengaged from the bottom reel 42, the front line retraction
system requires a bit of time to engage. This means that there is a
short duration where the top reel 40 is allowed to freewheel if
winds speeds are high. The additional braking/locking mechanism
will be designed to prevent freewheeling of the top reel 40.
It is further envisaged that the device could also include
additional line locks to prevent slippage of the lines. The line
locks could be located at the ends of the handlebar and at the exit
point in the enclosure for the front lines.
It is also envisaged that the device 10 could include a safety line
for use in the event that the chicken loop 211 is pulled. The
safety line will typically be connected to one of the front lines
202 using a line locking mechanism similar to the line locking
mechanism 120 from where it will run along the strap 214 and the
rope 210 towards the harness worn by the user, in use. The safety
line will generally be connected to the harness so that the front
line to which it is connected remains in connection with the user's
harness when the chicken loop is pulled. It is envisaged that the
line locking mechanism connecting the safety line to the front line
will be located in a position between the connector 212 and the
kite 200. It is envisaged that the safety line could either run
along the rope 210 or inside the rope 210, i.e. be integrated with
the rope. In both option it should be understood that the safety
line would run through the opening 16 in the enclosure of the
device.
Having described the structure of the kite line reeling device 10
in detail the method of operating it will now be described in more
detail. The line reeling device 10 may be operated to launch and
retrieve the kite 200 and both processes will be described.
The process of launching the kite 200 will be described first. It
should be clear that prior to launching the kite 200 the front and
rear kite lines 202, 206 are wound on the reels such that only
their ends protrude from the device for attachment to the kite. It
is envisaged that when transporting the kite 200 to the location
where it will be launched the handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 will be in
their collapsed positions in which they hold the kite securely
between them. At the location where the kite is to be launched the
handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 are moved into their operative positions
in order to release the kite 200. The handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 are
automatically locked in their operative positions by means of the
securing pins 36 as mentioned above. Now that the kite 200 is
released from the handle bars 12.1 and 12.2 it is typically
inflated and then connected to the front and back lines 202, 206.
It should be noted that it may not be necessary to connect the kite
to the front and back lines as they may already be connected. It is
possible to keep the kite connected to the front and back lines.
More about this is said below. With the kite inflated and connected
to the line reeling device 10 it will be flying around the 12
o'clock position in the wind where it can easily be controlled by
the user. A person skilled in the art of kite surfing will know
that in this 12 o'clock position there is a minimum amount of
tension in the kite lines. It may be necessary to adjust the length
of the front lines 202 so that the front and back lines are of
equal length. This is done by pressing down on the button 110 so as
to disengage the spring retractor gear 102 from the top reel 40,
thereby allowing the top reel 40 to rotate. With the kite in the 12
o'clock position the user releases one hand from its handlebar
12.1, 12.2 and grips the handle 60 of the kite reeling device 10.
The handle is then pulled back, i.e. towards the user, in order to
start releasing line from the top and bottom reels 40 and 42. From
the above description it should be understood that by pulling the
handle 60 backwards the cam slider 56 also moves backwards to lower
the cam follower bridge 86 and thereby engage the dog plate 96 with
the top reel 40. By engaging the dog plate 96 with the top reel 42
the gear train 46 is connected to allow the top and bottom reels
40, 42 to rotate in harmony and dispense line at the same rate.
However, to allow the reels 40, 42 to rotate the spring retractor
gear 102 is also moved downwardly in order to disengage the top
reel 40 through movement of the cam follower bridge 86. At the same
time, the cam slider 56 actuates the ratchet pawl 82 to move it
into its disengaged position in which the brake drum 70 is
released, i.e. free to rotate. The cam slider 56 also moves the
brake shoe 68 away from the brake drum 70 in order to reduce the
braking force acting on the drum, thereby allowing the reels 40, 42
to rotate. It should be understood that the degree of backwards
movement of the cam slider 56 is inversely proportional to the
braking force being applied to the brake drum. In other words, the
more the handle 60 is pulled back, the lower the braking force
being applied to the brake drum 70. It is envisaged that this could
be an important safety feature seeing that the user can accurately
control the rate at which the lines 202, 206 are being deployed by
manipulating the movement of the handle 60. During a typical launch
of the kite 200 the handle 60 will be pulled back gradually so as
to increase the rate at which the lines are deployed from the reels
40, 42 gradually. As the lines reach their desired length the rate
at which the lines are being deployed is typically reduced by
moving the handle 60 forwards in a controlled manner. This feature
of the line reeling device 10 allows for very accurate control of
the length of the kite lines that are deployed during the launch of
the kite 200. It is envisaged that at least the front lines 202
could carry indicators to indicate to the user exactly how much
line has been deployed from the reels. In one embodiment the front
lines could change colour at regular intervals, e.g. every 10 cm
for last 2 m, to act as a cue to the user while launching the kite
200. The user can then reduce the rate at which the lines are being
deployed when spotting the indicators.
As soon as the desired amount of line has been deployed from the
reels 40, 42 the user releases the handle 60 so that it returns to
its inoperative position. By releasing the handle 60 the cam slider
56 moves back into its original position, thereby activating the
braking mechanism and engaging the ratchet pawl 82 with the ratchet
80 on the brake drum 70. The movement of the cam slider 56 into its
original position also moves the cam follower bridge 86 back into
its original, raised position in order to disengage the dog plate
96 from the top reel 40. In other words, the disengagement of the
dog plate 96 and top reel 40 disconnects the gear train 46 to allow
the top reel to rotate independently from the bottom reel. The
movement of the cam follower bridge 86 into its original, raised
position engages the spring retractor gear 102 with the top reel 40
so that rotation of the top reel is prevented. Now that the top
reel 40 is disengaged from the bottom reel 42, it can be
manipulated to dispense additional line or retract slack in the
front lines. The torsion spring in the housing 106 operates on the
retractor gear 102 to retract any slack line in the front lines.
Addition line could be deployed from the top reel 40 by pressing
down on the button 110 carried by the spring retractor gear housing
106. After the adjustment to the front lines is made the button 110
is released in order to engage the spring retractor gear 102 with
the teeth 104 on the top reel 40 so as to lock the top reel in
position.
However, prior to adjusting the length of the front lines 202, the
line locking mechanism 120 is connected to them. This is done by
moving the mechanism 120 into its open, unlocked position and
placing the front lines in its jaws. Next, the clamp lever 128 is
operated so as to close the jaws in order to lock the locking
mechanism on the front lines. As mentioned above, now that the line
locking mechanism 120 is fixed on the front lines it engages the
connector 212 so that force is transmitted through the rope 210
that is attached to the user's harness. The section of the front
lines after the line locking mechanism 120, i.e. the section of the
front lines at the user's side of the locking mechanism, carries no
tension and any slack in the front lines are taken up by the
torsion spring located in the housing 106.
To retrieve the kite after a kite surfing session the user removes
one hand from its handle bar 12.1, 12.2 and inserts the adaptor 112
into the openings 114.1 and 114.2 in the top enclosure 20.1 so that
it engages the dog plate 96. The hand operated drill is inserted
into the adaptor 112 to engage the tool engagement hole 116 at the
end of the spindle shaft 50.1. The hand operated drill is then
pressed downwardly to force the dog plate 96 to engage the top reel
40, thereby connecting the gear train 46. The hand drill is now
activated to rotate the spindle shaft 50.1 and accordingly the top
and bottom reels 40, 42 in an anticlockwise direction to retrieve
the kite lines 202, 206. Once the kite lines have been retrieved by
a satisfactory amount the adaptor 112 and hand operated drill are
simply removed. The kite 200 is then disconnected from the kite
reeling device 10, deflated and folded-up. Alternatively, the kite
200 may remain connected to the kite lines 202, 206 and accordingly
the reeling device 10. Irrespective of whether or not the kite 200
remains connected to the kite lines 202, 206 on the reels 40, 42,
it may again be placed and held securely between the handle bars
12.1 and 12.2 when they are in their collapsed positions.
Although the device 10 is described and illustrated to be
integrally formed with the handle bar of the kite it is envisaged
that in an alternative embodiment not illustrated in the drawings
the line reeling mechanism 14 could also be retrofitted to an
existing handle bar of a kite after making the necessary minor
changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. For example, the enclosure could be removably attachable
to an existing handle bar and the back lines 206 could run in
conduits carried by the handle bar.
From the above description it must be clear that one advantage of
the device 10 in accordance with the invention is that it allows
the kite 200 to be launched and landed anywhere. As it is no longer
required to lay out the front and back lines prior to launching the
kite it can be launched even where space is limited, such as off
boats for example. Another advantage of the device 10 is that it
makes the launching and landing of a kite a lot safer to the user
and bystanders. The device 10 allows the kite to be launched and
landed in a controlled manner by using the handle and hand held
drill respectively. It is no longer required to launch and land the
kite at the edge of the wind as the line reeling device 10 allows
the kite to be launched and landed while maintaining it at the
twelve o'clock position in the wind. It should however be
understood that the device 10 not only allows the kite 200 to be
launched in the twelve o'clock position but in any position in the
180.degree. wind arch or dome. This allows the kite 200 to be
launched in positions in which it would otherwise not have been
possible due to overhead obstacles.
Yet another advantage of the device 10 is that it speeds up the
launching and landing process as it is no longer required to lay
out the lines and wrap them around the handle bar manually. With
the use of the device 10 the front and back lines are reeled in
automatically onto the reels 40 and 42, which also reduces the risk
of getting them tangled up. It is also no longer required to
disconnect the kite from the kite lines 202, 206 as it could remain
connected to the lines at all times.
It is also believed that the line reeling device 10 could be used
to adjust the length of the lines to accommodate different kite
sizes and environmental conditions. The user can therefore adjust
the lines according to his/her needs and do not need to fly a kite
at the maximum length of the lines at all times as in the case of
known, prior art equipment.
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